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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · fork · dip · fan · racket · game · fine · board

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — a match
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. board — a committee
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — all right
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com